Mauritius

PLANNING POLICY GUIDANCE 5

Port Louis
Pailles

Reduit Triangle

Ebene / Trianon

Phoenix / Sodnac

La Vigie

Rose Belle

Development along Motorway

April 2008

Ministry of Housing and Lands

 DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along Motorway

Development along the Motorway (M1)

Ministry of Housing and Lands

PPG 5 Design Guidance April 2008

1. BACKGROUND

In October 2007, the Planning Policy Guidance (PPG 1), first issued in November
2004, was revised and the following amendment with respect to height control along
the motorway was brought to “Design Guidance - Commercial Development”

“ Building height along the motorway needs to be controlled such that

buildings immediately fronting the motorway, except within the Ebene Cybercity
area, will be lower in height ( G + 3) and increasing gradually inland”

2. OBJECTIVE

The aim of this planning policy guidance is to maximize opportunities provided by

strategic locations along the M1 motorway where existing transport and utility
infrastructure will permit an efficient use of land and extend the possibilities available
in the Ebene Cybercity to other similar locations. The policy also provides for higher
intensity of use and better design considerations in those selected locations and
safeguards views along the remaining section.

3. EFFECTIVE DATE

With effect from April 2008

This Planning Policy Guidance (PPG5) supersedes the provisions pertaining to

height control along the motorway in the PPG Revision 1 of September 2006
and the PPG Revision 2 of October 2007, except for development mentioned at
paragraph 8 of the PPG 5.

Please do not hesitate to call upon the Ministry of Housing and Lands if you need any
clarification or additional information. The Planning Policy Guidance on
Development along the motorway is available for consultation and downloading on
the website of the Ministry at http://housing.gov.mu

DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along the Motorway ____________________________________

Ministry of Housing and Lands, April 2008
 DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along Motorway

The series of Planning Policy Guidance was first issued in 2004 and the following
titles have now been issued:

Date
PPG 1 Design Guidance November 2004

PPG 1 Design Guidance

Revision 1 September 2006

PPG 2 Design Guidance

Le Morne Cultural Landscape September 2007

PPG 1 Design Guidance

Revision 2 October 2007

PPG 3 Design Guidance

Places of Worship July 2007

DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along the Motorway ____________________________________

Ministry of Housing and Lands, April 2008
 DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along Motorway

Content

1. Background
2. Implications of removal of height restrictions
3. Application of policy
4. Statutory provision
5. Proposed pre-designated areas where height reviewed
6. Proposals for constructions along the motorway in pre-designated
areas
7. Design considerations
7.1 Accessibility and Parking
7.2 Appearance
7.3 Utilities
7.4 Building line and Service roads
8. Height of buildings in other locations along motorway
9. Height of buildings in vicinity of but outside pre-designated areas
10. Application of revised height criteria in pre-designated areas

Annex1
List of pre-designated areas

Annex 2
Building line and Service roads

DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along the Motorway ____________________________________

Ministry of Housing and Lands, April 2008
 DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along Motorway

Annex 1

List of Pre-designated Areas

Port Louis…………………………………………………………………Annex 1A
Pailles……………………………………………………………………..Annex 1B
Réduit Triangle………………………………………………………….Annex 1C
Trianon……………………………………………………………………Annex 1D
La Vigie………………………………………………………………… .Annex 1E
Rose Belle………………………………………………………………..Annex 1F

DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along the Motorway ____________________________________

Ministry of Housing and Lands, April 2008
 DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along Motorway

Planning Policy Guidance for development along the Motorway

1. Background

Planning Policy Guidance (PPG 1) revised in September 2006 and

issued to local authorities in October 2006 provides that buildings
immediately fronting the motorway should be lower (Gd+3) in
height and increasing gradually inland to safeguard views.
The Planning Policy Guidance was again revised in October 2007
to exempt the area covered by the Ebène Cybercity from this
provision.

The objective of the Planning Policy Guidance was to safeguard

views along that corridor for arriving tourists and also to retain a
greenbelt which would be visually pleasant. However certain
strategic locations along the motorway have the potential to play
a major role in accommodating future growth in the most
sustainable way in line with the National Development Strategy
and also to provide the right development framework for the
emerging sectors.

The existing provision in the Planning Policy Guidance where

development for front row buildings along the motorway is limited
to Ground + 3 floors restrains the opportunities provided by
location and accessibility.

2. Implications of removal of height restrictions

Being given the infrastructural context, complete deregulation of

heights is not desirable as the existing road network is incapable
to absorb traffic from a very high intensity of use, the more so that
there is no mass public transportation system in place. Reliance
on car mode of travel exclusively will exacerbate traffic
congestion with loss of amenities, air pollution and inadequacy of
service levels. These limiting factors require a cautious approach
with respect to removal of height restrictions.
It is therefore proposed to increase the development potential of
sites by increasing the number of floors allowable, the amount of
floor area that could be built without jeopardizing the quality of
infrastructure and amenities.

3. Application of Policy

Strategic locations bordered by the motorway which offer

enhanced opportunities to carry out business by maximizing
building intensity are being selected to accommodate the
development pressures felt for a variety of uses. The Cyber city
type of development is seen as the forerunner to a variety of high
tech. /ICT offices, education, commercial and retail and sport
facilities.

DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along the Motorway ____________________________________

Ministry of Housing and Lands, April 2008

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 DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along Motorway

The focus is therefore to concentrate major developments in and

around strategic growth clusters where a critical activity mass is
available. Furthermore to make efficient use of utility and
transport infrastructure and existing social and economic
investments, the pattern of development should tend towards
concentration rather than dispersal. Higher density developments
would be located close to good transport interchange points and
corridors namely the motorway and its associated junctions.

4. Statutory provision

Section 13 of the Planning and Development Act 2004 provides for

the issue of Planning Policy Guidance on any land use planning
and development matter including inter alia:

“The form, scale, intensity, built form, location and general

development criteria for different classes of development”
A Planning Policy Guidance prevails, to the extent of any
inconsistency, over a development plan.

5. Proposed pre-designated areas where height reviewed

Strategic locations at Réduit Grade Separated Junction,Ebene

Cyber city, Port Louis, Phoenix-Pont Fer Roundabout, Curepipe –
La Vigie Roundabout, St Jean Grade Separated Junction, Pailles
Junction and Rose Belle Business Park which are crossed by the
M1 motorway and which have equally good connectivity with
the surrounding areas will thus be able to optimize land values
and opportunities for development.

These locations are the first ones identified in a series of similar

exercises which would be undertaken to identify other such areas
where the development criteria on height, plot coverage and
Floor Area ratio have been reviewed to allow for higher intensity
of development whilst safeguarding the quality of the built-
up environment. The list of pre-designated areas identified is
morefully shown at Annex 1.

Note1: Special provision for the safety of aircraft operations

The height restrictions stipulated in the “Plaisance Airport Building
Restrictions) Act 1964 will prevail in areas along the motorway
from Midlands to the SSR International Airport. Construction of any
infrastructure in that area should obtain the prior clearance of the
Director of Civil Aviation.

Note 2: Special provision at Réduit

Construction of any infrastructure in the vicinity of proposed

Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation building at Réduit should
obtain the prior clearance of Multi-Carrier Mauritius Ltd.

DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along the Motorway ____________________________________

Ministry of Housing and Lands, April 2008

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 DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along Motorway

Table 1

6. Proposals for constructions along the motorway in pre-designated areas

Location Maximum height FAR max Plot coverage

in no of floors %

1 Réduit Triangle *15 -20 10 50

2 Corner plots at St Jean Grade separated *15 - 17 6 *35 - 40

junction/Trianon/Cybercity

3 Corner plots Phoenix – Pont Fer 12 5 40

Roundabout/Sodnac

4 Pailles Junction 16 8 50

5 Port Louis landward side of motorway *15 - 20 10 *50 - 100

6 Port Louis seaward side of motorway 10 4 40

7 La Vigie Roundabout 10 4 40

8 Rose Belle Business Park 5 2 40

FAR: Floor Area Ratio: - Total covered area on all floors of a building divided by the site area. The
greater the FAR, the greater is the amount of floor area that could be built.

High-rise building: 10 - 20 except Rose Belle in view of Airport

Coverage 50% restrictions
FAR 1.0
High Floor Area Ratio: 4 - 10 except Rose Belle Business Park
Medium Plot Coverage: 35 – 50% except Port Louis

* The range of values given should allow the optimal

determination of height and plot coverage whilst conforming to
the maximum FAR. A developer could opt for a high plot
Coverage 50% coverage coupled with a less high building or have lower plot
FAR 5.0 coverage but allowed to go higher.

7. Design considerations

Promoters of projects, government officers and other stakeholders

involved in the preparation and assessment of development
projects in these pre-designated areas will ensure that their

Increasing the FAR increases

development bulk

DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along the Motorway ____________________________________

Ministry of Housing and Lands, April 2008

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 DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along Motorway

developments are in accordance with the performance criteria

and technical standards contained in the Planning Policy
Guidance for Commercial Development (PPG1) Nov 2004
(subsequently revised) and also comply with all other criteria for
development. Generally, buildings will be required to comply with
the requirements specified above. However, in certain
circumstances and on a case to case basis, greater heights up to
the maximum permitted in the PPG - Design Guidance for
Commercial Development (Plot Development Criteria) Nov 2004
would be allowed where an exceptionally well designed building
meets infrastructure and utility requirements. The submission
Centralised parking facilities should be supported by a Design statement from qualified
professionals. Such applications will also need to be
accompanied by proposals for planning agreements in return for
any bonus on extra development allowed.

7.1 Accessibility & Parking

High-rise development should ensure that the road capacity is

adequate for the intensity of development to be
Parking shared by group of buildings accommodated on site. It should be clearly demonstrated
through a Traffic Impact Assessment that the existing accesses
are fully capable of accommodating current and future traffic
demand without creating situations that will adversely affect
existing traffic patterns and road safety. The cost of widening
existing narrow roads, provision of footpath, laybys where
applicable and other transport infrastructure improvements
leading to development sites should be born by promoters. It is
the responsibility of Local Authorities to coordinate the
shared building implementation and ensure that off-site road capacity is also
parking taken into consideration. On new greenfield areas, any network
of road linkages should be designed as per specifications of
Road Development Authority and TMRSU and development
should only be allowed when the supporting road infrastructure is
in place prior to development or is being implemented
concurrently with the development. In view of the development
potential of such well located sites, valuable land should not be
wasted on large areas of surface parking. It is suggested that
high-rise buildings provide part or whole of their parking needs
either at basement level or underground. Developers within the
offices
pre-designated area may wish to consider shared parking
facilities if working hours of operators are staggered or
complementary to other users. The local authority may also
Compatible activities can make implement multi-storey car parks with revenue generated as part
dual use of parking areas of planning agreements to serve the public parking needs on an
area wide basis.

Further guidance on access, parking and traffic issues are

provided in PPG 1 - Nov 2004 on Design Guidance.

DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along the Motorway ____________________________________

Ministry of Housing and Lands, April 2008

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 DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along Motorway

7.2 Appearance

Tall buildings are prominent structures and visible from far away.
They also impart a sense of status and symbol for the developers’
identity; hence the external finish of tall buildings should be of
extremely good quality, low maintenance materials to preserve
the tidy look, and if painted subject to a painting exercise every
five years. Emphasis should be laid on buildings to be well set in
Access to parking should not be their grounds, properly landscaped so as to tone down the overall
from any principal street that impact. All buildings should provide part of their parking needs at
has an active retail frontage. In basement level or underground to avoid large areas being
addition, multi-level car parks occupied by car parks and be visually unpleasant. Where parking
should be carefully designed to
has to be provided outside the building at ground floor, it should
blend with their surroundings,
and screened from principal be properly screened and landscaped. Care should also be
streets by frontage buildings, taken to treat each building façade (front, rear, sides) according
perhaps occupied by shops and to the use and impact on adjoining properties.
offces.
7.3 Utilities

A series of Technical Sheets in the Planning Policy Guidance

(PPG 1) Nov 2004 subsequently revised provides valuable
guidance on how to satisfy utility requirements. Tall buildings by
intensifying the use made thereof usually increase the demand
for utilities and services. Early consultation with the utility providers
should be carried out and necessary action taken prior to Building
and Land use Permits being sought.
lightweight and
plant and utility open balconies
rooms 7.4 Building line and Service roads

The future traffic load capacity of the motorway should be

maintained if it is required to convey goods and passengers with
the minimum adverse effects on travel time and convenience.
There are plans to increase capacity of the motorway with the
construction of additional traffic lanes. All development fronting
the motorway will thus need to observe a minimum setback
building line) to cater for the additional lanes and other
associated utilities. Refer to the table below.

basement Table 2
parking
Existing number of lanes as Proposed minimum setback in
from central verge of Motorway metres

2 20m
3 16.5m
4 13m

DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along the Motorway ____________________________________

Ministry of Housing and Lands, April 2008

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 DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along Motorway

The layout is morefully shown in diagram at Annex 2

1 2 3 3
CENTRAL HARD LANDSCAPING FOOTPATH
VERGE SHOULDER
EXISTING LANES
FUTURE DRAIN SERVICE BUILDING
LANES LANE LINE

9 METRES 20 METRES
BUILDING LINE

In principle no direct access would be allowed on to the

motorway. However, the Road Development may allow a service
road that serves a number of developments to connect to the
motorway by means of appropriate acceleration and
deceleration lanes.

Policy guidance on access and other transport issues are covered

by the Outline Schemes relevant to the development site.

8. Height of buildings in other locations along the motorway

The height of buildings along the motorway along the remaining

alignment in between these locations should be low-rise for
aesthetic reasons, that is maintain the green corridor and also
provide focus to the higher density locations where greater
heights would be permitted. Where development would be
permitted, the existing provision limited to Ground + 3 floors for first
row development will be maintained as per Amendment carried
out to the PPG 1 in September 2006.

DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along the Motorway ____________________________________

Ministry of Housing and Lands, April 2008

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 DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along Motorway

9. Height of buildings in vicinity of but outside pre-

designated areas

Sites located on the border of, or in the vicinity of the pre-

designated areas where new height criteria are applicable will be
assessed on a case to case basis depending on the site’s context,
relationship with the pre-designated area, site extent, type of
development (single site or integrated), accessibility and
availability of utilities. Any exemption from height restriction will
be considered on a performance-based approach with respect
to the following:

 Proposals should be of a high design quality in conformity

with the design standards within the designated areas.
 Road access to the development should be capable of
taking the traffic generated by the proposed
development without causing congestion, hazards, or
nuisance to other developments along the route.
Appropriate Scale  They should be highly accessible.
 Where such areas are located in the vicinity of built-up
areas, they will act as transitional zone between the pre-
designated zone and the built-up areas. This should be
reflected in the heights of buildings which should be in
architectural scale with the surroundings. Where these
transitional zones are located on the edge of well
established predominantly residential areas a 25 metre
landscaped buffer will have to be observed.

10. Application of revised height criteria in pre-designated

areas
PREDESIGNATED RESIDENTIAL
ZONE ZONE
This planning policy guidance (PPG5) Development along the
TRANSITIONAL Motorway supersedes existing provisions namely Revision 1
ZONE
September 2006 and Revision 2 October 2007 relating to height
control along the motorway with respect to the pre-designated
areas. It is effective as from the date of issue to Local Authorities
by the Minister responsible for Housing and Lands.

DESIGN GUIDANCE Development along the Motorway ____________________________________

Ministry of Housing and Lands, April 2008

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Annex 1